Mark Widmar Sells 9,926 Shares of First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) Stock

First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) CEO Mark Widmar sold 9,926 shares of First Solar stock in a transaction on Monday, May 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $233.21, for a total value of $2,314,842.46. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 95,148 shares in the company, valued at $22,189,465.08. This trade represents a 9.45% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.

First Solar Stock Performance

Shares of FSLR opened at $231.62 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $24.89 billion, a PE ratio of 14.96, a PEG ratio of 0.52 and a beta of 1.57. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $199.81 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $231.39. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02, a current ratio of 2.56 and a quick ratio of 2.15. First Solar, Inc. has a 1 year low of $135.50 and a 1 year high of $285.99.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, April 30th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $3.22 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $2.87 by $0.35. The firm had revenue of $1.04 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.03 billion. First Solar had a return on equity of 18.01% and a net margin of 30.73%.The business’s revenue was up 23.6% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $1.95 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts forecast that First Solar, Inc. will post 17.63 EPS for the current year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages have issued reports on FSLR. Needham & Company LLC boosted their target price on First Solar from $286.00 to $303.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, February 23rd. Guggenheim lowered their target price on First Solar from $312.00 to $269.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, March 17th. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c+)” rating on shares of First Solar in a research note on Friday, March 27th. TD Cowen lowered their target price on First Solar from $320.00 to $253.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, February 25th. Finally, UBS Group lowered their target price on First Solar from $300.00 to $290.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, May 4th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, eighteen have assigned a Buy rating, twelve have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $247.03.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On First Solar

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Aventura Private Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of First Solar in the fourth quarter valued at $25,000. Reflection Asset Management purchased a new position in shares of First Solar in the fourth quarter valued at $26,000. Commonwealth Retirement Investments LLC purchased a new position in shares of First Solar in the fourth quarter valued at $26,000. Larson Financial Group LLC grew its position in shares of First Solar by 117.0% in the fourth quarter. Larson Financial Group LLC now owns 102 shares of the solar cell manufacturer’s stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 55 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Elyxium Wealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of First Solar in the fourth quarter valued at $30,000. 92.08% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

First Solar News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting First Solar this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Argus raised its price target on First Solar to $275 from $250 and reiterated a buy rating, reinforcing upside expectations for FSLR. Argus Issues Positive Forecast for First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) Stock Price
• Positive Sentiment: Solar stocks are broadly stronger, with peers such as Enphase Energy and SolarEdge moving sharply higher, suggesting favorable sector sentiment that can spill over into First Solar. Enphase Energy and SolarEdge Jump 11%, Canadian Solar Sinks 10% in Lopsided Solar Stock Trade
• Positive Sentiment: First Solar’s last quarterly report beat estimates on both earnings and revenue, which continues to support the stock’s fundamental outlook. First Solar price performance and earnings data
• Neutral Sentiment: CEO Mark Widmar disclosed Rule 10b5-1 share sales, which were pre-planned but can still create a modest sentiment drag for investors. First Solar insider trading disclosure
• Neutral Sentiment: Coverage discussing China’s clean-tech retreat from the U.S. highlights the policy backdrop for solar, but the impact on FSLR is indirect and mixed. China’s $3 Billion US Clean Tech Exit Is an Investment Warning

First Solar Company Profile

First Solar, Inc (NASDAQ: FSLR) is a United States–based solar technology company best known for designing and manufacturing thin‑film photovoltaic (PV) modules that use cadmium telluride (CdTe) semiconductor technology. The company supplies PV modules and delivers integrated solar power solutions for utility‑scale projects, positioning itself as a provider of both components and complete solar energy systems rather than solely a parts supplier. First Solar was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Tempe, Arizona.

Beyond module manufacturing, First Solar offers a range of project services including development support, engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services, and operations and maintenance (O&M) for large-scale solar installations.